Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah, one of the most
beloved kings of Judah. Manasseh became king of Judah
when he was only twelve years old and reigned for fiftyfive
years as one of the most evil of all kings. Manasseh consulted
spirit-mediums, fortune tellers, and sorcerers; encouraged his
people to worship the idols of the heathen nations; and rebuilt
heathen altars for worshipping the sun, moon, and stars in the very
place where the Lord had said He would be honored forever.
Manasseh sacrificed his own children as burnt offerings, and
tradition has it that he probably gave the order to have Isaiah the
prophet sawn in two. He encouraged every sort of evil, even
seducing Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil. As
Bridges To Life offenders might say, “He was a bad dude,” and he
made God very angry.
After Manasseh was defeated in battle and taken prisoner
he cried out to God for help, humbling himself and asking for
mercy and grace. “And the Lord listened, and answered his plea by
returning him to Jerusalem and to his kingdom! At that point
Manasseh finally realized that the Lord was really God.” (2
Chronicles 33: 1-13) Manasseh, a sinful man who did many evil